Comment and Analysis: UK

· A striking feature of the telephone interviews with key contacts in England and

Wales was their familiarity with Wellpark Enterprise Centre and the perception that since Wellpark had ceased in its prior form all impetus in Scotland for enterprise support for women had been lost. Interviewees were invariably surprised to find out that the Network had picked up key demonstrator projects from Wellpark, and that there were counterpart individuals and organisations working in the women’s enterprise support area with whom they could network. Wellpark was clearly the information-sharing conduit north to south. Present and future initiatives in Scotland perhaps need to consider how to share best practice with the wider community. A single information-sharing conduit is only one model and it could be

37 _{Good sources of links for SET and women is the WITEC site hosted by Sheffield Hallam University}

http://www.shu.ac.uk/witec/ and the independent organisation, AWISE, http://www.awise.org/about/related.htm

38_{EU report 2000 Joint Analysis and Strategy for Women with Technical and Scientific Education,}

WITEC/Com EAST

argued that a greater benefit in capacity building would be derived from a larger Scottish participation in the UK-wide and European dialogue.

· There is no one identifiable pattern or model of women’s enterprise support in the rest of the UK; projects and programmes are developed on a local or regional basis with networking as the only real common feature of most initiatives. This raises two questions: (1) Should Scotland pursue one “pre-cut” model rolled out nationally that perhaps assures the same type and quality of support is available to all, or does regional modelling perhaps reflect needs more accurately and flexibly? (2) Should elements of other best practice models be adapted and delivered in Scotland by the Scottish Enterprise Network (SEN) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) or an NCWE, or is there greater merit in fostering the development of a number of collaborative partnerships with existing UK organisations which already have physical and staff infrastructure, fundraising experience, market knowledge and technical expertise in programme design and delivery?

· All of the English business networking groups that were reviewed offer a paid

membership structure, ranging from £20 pa to £80 pa. There were comments in Scotland that membership subscriptions would deter participation in the Scottish version of Women into the Network. However, the English evidence does not suggest that this would be the case.

· WIN in the North East is a good example of how women’s enterprise support can be

successfully delivered outside the Business Link/LEC framework and demonstrates that alternative mechanisms could be considered.

· The Chwarae Teg model has not, as far as is known, been taken up elsewhere in the UK. Two similar interesting comments were made by interviewees: Chwarae Teg were “too mainstream” and women needed alternative routes into enterprise whereas Chwarae Teg merely strengthened existing routes; Chwarae Teg were “too directly associated” with the Welsh business support infrastructure. The issue appears to be that of narrowing choices or options, however, this is only a valid argument if a single organisation is not delivering in a framework that meets clients’ needs. Chwarae Teg themselves think perhaps funding issues have hindered adoption of similar national models in England. Additionally, they have not widely publicised their model. The mapping exercise has found evidence of a lack of understanding and implementation of good practice diversity management within Scottish business support organisations; therefore, adopting elements of the Welsh model may indeed be appropriate.

· WEETU have successfully been able to demonstrate sustainability and have thus

attracted ESF funding. A self-funding NCWE, if it were to attract similar European funds, would require to be equally proactive in fundraising. Wellpark Enterprise Centre did not employ highly experienced or professional fundraisers and perhaps the employment of such individuals could be considered integral in any national centre initiative.

· To degree to which PROWESS could substitute for an NCWE (e.g. in information

sharing and research) is at present unclear and would require further discussion with the organisation.

· The Phoenix Fund appears to be supporting some very creative, experimental and locally appropriate projects to encourage women from disadvantaged areas to set up social enterprises. Although somewhat beyond the scope of this project, as yet in Scotland there is no similar mechanism for nurturing experimental social enterprises, neither is the national micro-credit programme linked with specific social inclusion projects in such an integrated way. The Scottish Enterprise Network is currently looking at support provision in this area. Participation in social enterprise is arguably a more viable entry-point to enterprise in general for women severely disadvantaged by location (including transport difficulties and lack of local demand for products and services), lack of skills, capital and experience. Social entrepreneurship is also likely to have a greater positive community and individual impact than attempts to establish commercial micro-businesses in economically depressed areas.

· New programmes for women’s enterprise support in Leicester and Belfast highlight

that their design was informed through a dialogue with target beneficiaries. Apart from the Scottish WIN initiative, which conscientiously seeks feedback and changes programme design accordingly, there is little evidence of participatory programme development in Scotland.

· The reasons that SET female students in the UK do not consider entrepreneurship at the same or similar rates to continental European students probably deserve to be examined more closely.

· There is little reliable UK baseline data on women-owned SET businesses, without

which designing specific support programmes is very difficult.

· Women studying SET subjects will be exposed to entrepreneurship as a career

option in the longterm via Scottish Institute for Enterprise initiatives, however, the degree to which women require specific targeting or training is unclear without further research.

· An initiative similar to the USA WEST organisation could be considered as part of an NCWE if research identified a need.

· Could enterprising Scottish women based in rural areas benefit from a national

virtual network of their own, perhaps in conjunction with WiRE?

3.3 Continental Europe Comparative Experience

The EU Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2001-2005) and the thread of Promoting Gender Equality in Economic Life aim to improve gender mainstreaming in the structural funds. In addition, EU policy research, demonstrator projects and networks could all inform the development of an NCWE and the future development of women in enterprise support in Scotland. Selected examples are described in this section, along with descriptions of a number of national initiatives. There is considerable experience in other European countries of establishing and managing women’s enterprise support. As a consequence, this research can provide only a snapshot and should not therefore be regarded as exhaustive.